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Visiting Charleston FAQs

water next to the building

Q: How many days do I need to explore Charleston?

A: That’s a tricky one! Most of us have lived in Charleston all our lives — and we still haven’t explored every nook and cranny of the Holy City.

That being said, you can easily spend one day, a long weekend, or even up to a week exploring Charleston. 

Short on time? Book a walking tour to see the most of Charleston in the least amount of time!

 

Q: Are two days enough in Charleston?

A: Sure! If you only have two days in Charleston, you’ll be able to explore most of the Downtown Historic District. If you’re planning on renting a car (or driving here), you may have time to visit Mt. Pleasant or drive down to one of Charleston’s best beaches, too.

 

Q: Does Charleston SC have hop on hop off tours?

A: No. Charleston doesn’t have the typical double-decker bus tours. If you’re looking for Charleston, SC, hop on hop off tours, the closest you’ll get is the free Downtown bus shuttle. 

 

Q: Can you get around Charleston SC without a car?

A: Yes, Charleston is one of the most walkable cities in the South, and it’s easy to “do” Charleston without a car.

We recommend renting a bike or taking a taxi or a rideshare if you want to travel outside Downtown. Or, take the Charleston Water Taxi to Patriots Point, Waterfront Park (one of Charleston’s most Instagrammable spots), or Maritime Center.

 

Q: What is Charleston best known for?

A: Yikes! Why are these questions so hard! Charleston is known for so much, and it’s hard to give just one answer!

But in a nutshell, we’re known for iconic foods, history, music, festivals, stunning views, and more!

 

Q: How do I spend a day in Charleston SC?

A: There are so many things to do in Charleston, we couldn’t list them all in one sentence! But off the top of our heads?

Q: What is the best month to visit Charleston?

A: Okay, okay, we’re biased! Fall in Charleston is all about Halloween, Charleston’s winters feature holiday activities, Thanksgiving activities in Charleston, romantic Charleston activities, and low crowd levels. Visit Charleston in the spring to celebrate Easter and spring garden tours. Charleston summer activities festivals, boat rides, and more!

The best time to visit Charleston is any time!

 

Q: Is Charleston a walkable town?

A: Yes! That’s why we run walking tours in Charleston!

 

Q: Is it better to visit Savannah or Charleston?

A: Again, we’re biased. We’re also southern (and manners count down here!), so we’ll never tell you Charleston is better than Savannah. But we would never make you choose, either.

If you’ve got the time, take a day trip from Charleston to Savannah.

Need a little extra help getting there and back or figuring out what there is to do? Hire one of our guides for a private tour.

 

Lowcountry Walking Tours/Walks of Charleston FAQs

Q: What are the best places to eat before or after the tour? 

A: Since you’ll be wearing walking tour attire (comfortable shoes, breathable fabrics, etc.), we recommend maintaining your casual vibes throughout your meal.

For breakfast before the tour, we recommend Harken Cafe or Black Door Cafe for quick grab-and-go options. For a sit-down early breakfast, we recommend Millers All Day and Fast and French.

For a quick casual lunch after the morning tour or before the afternoon tour, we suggest the Brown Dog Deli, RuRu’s Tacos, and the Blind Tiger Pub.   

 

Q: Good place for happy hour near the end of the tour?

A: Bar Vaute (the only underground bar in Charleston, located under the Brasserie La Banque) opens at 4 p.m.  

Looking for a typical Charleston rooftop bar experience? We recommend the Pavilion Bar rooftop or The Vendue.  

The Blind Tiger has a great outdoor area, and the Gin Joint is known for its cocktail set.

 

Q: Best place to park? 

A: Alleys & Hidden Passages Tour 

Meet at the Old Exchange Building at 122 E Bay St. Park at the four-hour meters behind the building; if those are full, we recommend the parking garage at 25 Prioleau St., which is just a few minutes’ walk away.  

Four-hour meter parking and the parking garage cost the same.  

 

A: Historic Downtown Tour

Meet at City Hall at 80 Broad St. Park at the garage at 85 Queen St. or the garage at 96 Queen St. 

 

Q: How long are the tours? 

A: All of our tours are two hours!

 

Q: Can I bring my dog?  

A: We are pet friendly, especially for well-behaved pets!  

We just ask that if your pet becomes loud or causes a disturbance, you take them away from the group so as not to affect other guests’ enjoyment of the tour.  

Additionally, if you think your pet will react adversely to seeing horses in the streets, we ask that you do not bring them along as we will encounter horse-drawn carriages throughout the tour.  

 

Q: What if it rains?  

A: We generally go out rain or shine, as on-and-off rain is very common in Charleston. We recommend bringing umbrellas or rain gear — just in case.  

We will cancel if there are dangerous conditions like lightning (if it’s directly over the downtown area) or flooding.  

If we have to cancel a tour, we will contact you directly and offer to reschedule, and if you are not able, we will provide a full refund.  

 

Q: Which tour should I take?

A: All of our tours are history based and will give you a good introduction to the general history of Charleston. 

We explore popular points of interest (such as Rainbow Row) and there will be some overlap between all of our tours. 

 

Historic Downtown Tour 

This is a history based tour and is a great introduction to the most popular points of interest in the French Quarter but also explores the homes and gardens in the South of Broad neighborhood. 

 

Alleys & Hidden Passages 

You will also explore the French Quarter and South of Broad but go a little off the beaten path into some of the historic and picturesque alleyways within these areas, usually including between four to seven different alleyways.

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